Enabling Secure Cloud Adoption and Modern Workplace Capabilities for a Leading Legal Firm

Azentra partnered with a well-established legal services firm facing increasing pressure to modernise its technology stack, strengthen data confidentiality, and support a flexible hybrid workforce. With outdated systems and heightened compliance requirements, the firm needed a secure cloud-first operating model that aligned with the sensitivity of its client data and legal workflows.

The Challenge

The firm was confronted with several key issues impacting performance, security, and client trust.

1. Legacy On-Premise Infrastructure

Case management systems, document storage, and email services were hosted on ageing on-premise servers that lacked redundancy and created performance bottlenecks during peak workload periods.

2. Heightened Confidentiality & Compliance Risks

Due to the nature of legal work, the organisation needed stronger controls around:

• document access and permissions

• data residency and retention

• visibility of privileged activity

• secure sharing and collaboration

• audit-ready governance for regulator reviews

Weak identity controls presented a confidentiality risk.

3. Outdated Collaboration & Remote Work Capabilities

Remote staff experienced slow access, unreliable VPN performance, and inconsistent user experiences.
This affected productivity and client responsiveness.

4. Inconsistent Security Controls

The firm lacked:

• centralised logging

• modern endpoint protection

• MFA enforcement

• secure file access controls

• unified monitoring

The threat of data breach or unauthorised access was significant.

The Solution

Azentra delivered a comprehensive modern workplace and security transformation programme centred around a secure, cloud-driven architecture built for legal operations.

Phase 1: Modern Cloud Platform Implementation

• Migrated email, collaboration, and document systems to Microsoft 365

• Established a secure Azure-based environment for critical legal applications

• Implemented data loss prevention (DLP) to protect sensitive files

• Centralised document management with governance and version control

• Rolled out secure file-sharing capabilities with client access controls

Result: Modern, scalable cloud-based infrastructure with improved productivity and secure collaboration.

Phase 2: Identity-First Security Model

• Enforced MFA and Conditional Access across all user accounts

• Implemented role-based access controls (RBAC) aligned to legal workflows

• Introduced automated onboarding/offboarding processes

• Integrated privileged identity management (PIM) for elevated access

• Strengthened access governance for sensitive legal documents

Result: Significant reduction in confidentiality risk and improved compliance posture.

Phase 3: Zero Trust-Aligned Security Enhancements

• Deployed enterprise-grade endpoint security across all devices

• Implemented continuous threat monitoring and behavioural analytics

• Introduced device compliance policies and mobile device management (MDM)

• Applied network segmentation and secure access policies

• Enabled real-time alerts for suspicious activities

Result: A secure, controlled environment with full visibility across identities, devices, and data.

Phase 4: Hybrid Workforce Enablement

• Delivered modern collaboration tooling with Microsoft Teams

• Optimised remote access routes for speed and reliability

• Standardised hardware, configurations, and device baselines

• Introduced performance monitoring to support remote productivity

• Provided user training and adoption support for new tools

Result: A consistent, high-performing user experience regardless of location.

The Outcomes

After the transformation, the legal firm gained measurable improvements across operations, security, and client service delivery.

Security & Compliance

• Complete MFA coverage across all systems

• Strong DLP controls preventing data leakage

• 93% reduction in privileged access risk

• Full audit trails supporting regulator reviews

  
  

Operational Efficiency

• 35% reduction in support tickets related to remote access issues

• Seamless collaboration across offices and remote teams

• Faster document retrieval and case file processing

Performance & Reliability

• 40% improvement in application performance

• Elimination of downtime associated with legacy servers

• Scalable cloud infrastructure supporting long-term growth

  
  

Client Experience

• Faster response times

• Higher confidentiality protection

• More efficient case handling and communication

  
  

Conclusion

Azentra helped this legal services organisation transition from an outdated, high-risk IT environment to a secure, modern, cloud-first operating model designed for the demands of legal work.
The firm now benefits from stronger data protection, enhanced compliance capability, and a high-performing hybrid workplace that supports both staff and clients.